Destiny Finally Smiled Upon Her
Chapter 26 of “Hold On”: F10 Islamabad
(N.B. I’m writing a novel, a chapter a week, here on Medium. Find out why I write here, start from Chapter 1 here, and always feel free to give me feedback in the comments. I write here for the community.)
Destiny finally smiled upon Hira. She was delighted with the positive work environment at InfoTech, which inspired her to perform even better. Whenever she received a task, she completed it promptly and skillfully. Hira also dedicated time to enhancing her skills through online courses, focusing on work-related and other professional skills that her university education hadn’t provided. She improved her communication skills and became proficient in various office productivity tools. She especially focused on computer vision as a core skill. Despite a long 1.5-hour commute, Hira always arrived at work on time.
One day, Shehryar invited Hira to his office and asked her what she would like to drink. Hira replied, “Green tea.” Shehryar smiled and said, “I think it’s time we should add Peshawari Qahwa to our tea menu because a talented woman from Peshawar is going to be with our company for a long time.” Hira could not quite catch the subtle hint and simply looked puzzled by the conversation. Shehryar continued, “I am very impressed with your performance and professional ethics. We’ve decided to offer you a three-year contract as Associate Data Scientist. Your new salary will be Rs 100,000 per month and the annual increment will be decided based on your performance.”
At first, Hira was not able to process what she had just heard, and just sat there in a trance. When his words finally registered, she was on the verge of tears but managed to maintain her composure and thanked Shehryar. “Sir, you are so kind and generous. You’ve provided me with an excellent work environment, which allowed me to perform at my best. I truly wanted to give back to the company for the respect and support they have given me, which has helped my career grow.” Shehryar responded, saying it was a well-deserved promotion, and told her that everyone in the company calls him “Sherry” instead of “Sir.” Hira nodded, but secretly thought she would never feel comfortable calling her boss by his nickname, so she decided to address him as “Shehryar Sahib” instead.
Upon leaving the office, Hira hurried to the outdoor lawn and called her father to share the news of her promotion. He was thrilled and promised to pass the news along to her mother when he returned home that evening. He also mentioned that her mother had been praying for Hira’s promotion for days, knowing her probation period was ending soon. Hira felt incredibly grateful for the blessings in her life and for the support of her parents, which had been hard-won.
Without hesitation, Hira sent a message to Ahmad in New York City, “Hey, my love, I’m so happy today! I received a promotion and a three-year contract at my office. Your support, guidance and love have helped me get to this point. Thank you!” Despite the late hour in NYC, Ahmad responded right away, expressing his pride, love, and happiness for her. Hira promised to call him later that evening and also shared the news with her friend Sadia.
A few days later, Hira decided to move closer to her office to improve her work-life balance. She found a studio apartment in F10 for Rs 30,000 per month. Though the rent was a significant increase, she would still be able to save Rs 30,000 for her parents after accounting for her living expenses. Hira believed the move would enhance her productivity, allowing her more time for personal growth and connecting with Ahmad on Whatsapp calls in a peaceful environment after office hours.
As time went on, Hira gradually transformed into a more confident and composed individual, ready to embrace the opportunities that life offered her.
Hira’s move to F10 brought her to a more comfortable environment than her previous residence, which had suffered from unreliable utility supply and a lack of streetlights. However, she soon encountered a new challenge: the daily commute to her office in F8. Unfortunately, there were no direct public transport options, forcing her to rely on expensive and potentially risky taxi rides. Hira would have gladly walked the 30-minute distance but found the route along Margalla Road and Nazimuddin Road uninviting, with no footpaths and no pedestrians to offer a sense of security for a woman walking alone.
Hira considered walking through F9 Park, but there were no direct paths from F10 to F8, only a circular track that was often deserted during the day. Furthermore, she had heard unsettling stories of harassment within the park, making her reluctant to take that route. Hira couldn’t help but imagine how wonderful it would be if the park had paths lined with street vendors, like the photos Ahmad shared of New York City. The presence of people walking from one side to another under the shade of trees during the day would make the park a more welcoming and functional space for pedestrians.
Despite her hopes, Hira realized that this vision might never become a reality. She resigned herself to the idea that she would eventually have to learn how to drive and purchase a car, likely financed with a bank loan. The thought of taking on such a responsibility weighed heavily on her mind, but she knew that it might be the only viable solution to her daily transportation dilemma.
